Ngige claims Obiano will join the APC at the end of his tenure as Anambra State governor

LABOUR minister Senator Chris Ngige has revealed that Anambra State's Governor Willie Obiano plans to dump the All Progressives Grand Alliance (Apga) and join the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the end of his tenure in 2020.

Governor Obiano was sworn-in on March 17, 2014 to succeed Peter Obi and on November 14 2017, he was re-elected for a second term. His current tenure will end in March 2020 and Senator Ngige said he is sure the governor will join the APC because he is a pragmatist and a realist.

Senator Ngige added: “When he finishes serving, he will come, I’m sure. He is a pragmatist and he is a realist and I have tried to let him know that Apga is good but it’s a regional party and you can’t use a regional party to go and do election and fight.

"People have abandoned the idea of regional parties. That’s why the Alliance for Democracy and Action Congress decided that after many years of staying at the periphery of the federal government to coalesce with LPP, the Congress for Progressive Change and a rebel faction of Apga, led by Rochas Okorocha to form the APC. Regional parties are not in vogue and the governor knows."

According to senator Ngige, even his Governor Obiano's predecessor, Peter Obi, realised that he cannot do much with a regional party. He added that Governor Obi joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but Governor Obiano is a progressive, so will join the APC, which will be ideal for Ndigbo.

However, Don Adinuba, the Anambra State information commissioner, said nothing will make Governor Obiano leave Apga. He added that both APC and PDP had failed Nigerians as they had nothing tangible to offer.

Mr Adinuba said: “Governor Obiano is what the great Zik of Africa would refer to as the beautiful bride wooed by every confident suitor. He is wanted by all the parties because of his record and brand of politics devoid of bitterness and primordial cleavages.

“However, he is not going anywhere as he is an Apga man, through and through. He is strongly backing a candidate who all Nigerians expect to win the presidential election.”